Royal wedding
by RedGlassesGirl
Summary: Finally the engagement bears fruit and it's time to concrete what all the citizens of Shin Makoku have been waiting for.


I wrote this for the Secret Santa at tumblr, the prompt was the royal wedding and weird customs. Merry xmas Roquelg! And thanks a lot to Alaxxis Sade for being my beta ^^

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 **Royal wedding - Oneshot**

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"And that's everything about the economy of the kingdom Your Majesty, the next point on the list is..."

Before the diligent Lord von Christ is able to continue, the chair spins abruptly to another noble and the content of my stomach takes three seconds to accompany the rest of my body. I got around fifteen minutes of peace during the last conversation, but I'm not sure how much I can take.

"Really, I hope the next point is about abolishing the chair during the meetings."

My comment is completely ignored, even if I am, legitimately, the person with highest rank in this room.

"Your Majesty, allow me to speak freely", even if Lord Gyllenhal takes a moment to wait for me to consent, I have the feeling my agreement wasn't really important. "Nobody doubts your good behaviour for the past years, but certain discomfort, no, discomfort is not the right word... certain worries have been affecting the public opinion."

I struggle to move my wrist and I try to extend my fingers below the leather strip. "Yeah, yeah, I've been good until now, I mean, as a king. More or less. Whatever. What if we vote, the ones that agree to uninstall the chair from the next meeting onwards raise your hand."

It's a little complicated, but I think it's understandable that I'm in favor of it. Just in case, I try with both hands.

The chair spins violently 180 degrees. There are Disneyland attractions that would feel envious. This time the face in front of me is a baby bear, the transmitter over the table in front of him doesn't have the best quality of sound and the voice of the Grantz representative is distorted.

"The citizens question if it's not time to settle down in the kingdom permanently, Your Majesty."

"I thought I was pretty much settled down here, the castle is my only home after all.

I hold my breath in anticipation, and the chair spins again. This time it's only three seats to the left. I would like it to turn from one side to the other, to compensate a little. This face is very familiar, so I can't help but have hard feelings because he pushed the button and contributed to another spin. Lord von Voltaire, may it be possible for you not to feel empathy even if this chair is one of Anissina's devices?!

"The public opinion is far from being the same as your closest subjects, and it's unnecessary to mention that the media manipulation has its influences."

The chair spins again. Lord von Christ, with his stern face ready for business that I'm only able to see during official parties. I thought you loved me.

"Of course we took care of regulating what's being published." I have no doubts about that, since he's so involved with the editorial world. "But the gossip column has some liberties, and even if some news seems harmless, the comments about certain things have started to influence...

"Günter, what are you trying to say? Go to the heart of it."

Since I didn't went around the bush, my tutor is surprised and he's stunned for a couple of seconds. Enough for someone else to press the button again. Damn, Gwen, there's no need to fight the place to speak right now!

"Like I was saying. The public opinion doesn't count with the same information as your closest subjects, people are not convinced your stay is permanent when you're able to travel freely between worlds. If you hadn't made that public..." oh, his accusing glare is scary, whatever happened, it's clear he's making me responsible of it. "Then, the people wouldn't make rash conclusions about leaving this world and never coming back.

"Wait, wait. What are you trying to say?" They're still not being clear about the point besides the obvious meaning of all this.

The chair spins and this time it's Wolf. My face is not nice, I'm trying to use that expression he makes so easily, the one that says "you'll have to face me later in private".

You had better be the first one raising the hand to abolish the chair that's your mother's fault.

"What Lord von Voltaire is trying to say it's the people is afraid one day you'll disappear in one of your travels and never come back."

Oh. In simple words, well, it makes sense. It's been a while since he stopped having those thoughts anymore, as has Greta, but there was a moment when they, mm, and many others, suspected the same.

"There's no way I would do that."

Wolf crocks his head and frowns a little, even if he's silent his expression doesn't show any doubts. But it's clear everyone else doesn't feel the same.

I glance around the room and I notice anxiety. With the exception of Gwendal and Anissina who don't show much interest, even Günter is somewhat nervous about the topic.

"I would never do that," I repeat with determination. Just in case.

Doing maths really quickly, five years is not that much in mazoku's terms, and that makes me feel a little insecure myself in secret.

The chair spins unexpectedly, this time it's Lord von Rochefort.

"The people demand you to consummate your marriage to determine you tied ties permanently with the kingdom. And at the same time, with this world."

We turn again five seats. The von Radford couple. I'm going to throw up, and that has nothing to do with the fact they're too affectionate in public.

"A marriage without love is questionable, I don't think that will suffice the necessity of confirming strong ties with the kingdom."

I think what's not going to suffice is the hunger for a love story. Like my life is a novel or something.

I turn. Murata, you're going to pay a high price for contributing to my sickness.

"If we're talking about love, then let him continue with his baseball team, there's nothing else that can convince him to stay than the possibility of having a professional career in this world. Doesn't that sound good, Shibuya? Professional baseball player of the grand leagues of Shin Makoku, what do you think?"

I hate you so much. Let's spin one more time! I don't have strength to do any comment, I fear I'll open my mouth and what's out aren't words.

And we continue like this about five times more, and by the time I feel it's not a bad idea to present my breakfast to everyone in the room to make an statement about how bad this is, we finally stop for several minutes. The discussion continues with some of the other nobles with lower rank sitting at the back against the walls.

When I regain my normal breathing and the things are starting to get heated, I try to interrupt. "Hey..." I'm not loud enough or they don't want to stop even if I try to speak several times, until I get tired of it. "Silence!"

The penetrating glances intimidates me, but I can't hesitate.

"I don't see what's the problem." My conviction contributes to the general calm, but there's a couple of faces that seem like they want to question immediately, it seems my attitude is disconcerting. Before the chair spins again, I turn my head two seats and I look at him. "As long as Lord von Bielefeld agrees to it."

The words he was going to pronounce die in his mouth with his hand in the air, his mouth hangs slightly open because of the surprise. We lost him, and I'm not the only one who noticed it. Even if the chair doesn't spin I recognize the voice of Lord von Wincott.

"Do you agree to marry?" he says with a mix of surprise and excitement. I suppose he's interested in the topic because he's a passionate husband and a young father as well.

What, wasn't I clear enough?

"That's right. It's something that was going to happen at some point, right? You get engaged, you marry." Putting it into words is a little uncomfortable, I tap my fingers over the wood armchairs but I can't stop looking determined in front of everyone. "In fact, I wasn't planning on getting married so young, but since you already tried to convince me about a fake marriage to trick the enemy, and that it seems the kingdom is so worried about me staying here or not and it's truly necessary... I don't see a better option than to do it early."

I don't know if Wolfram is conscious again or not but he makes an strange sound.

"Wolf, you sound like a rototo frog, these yellow ones." The ones that live in that part of the castle I shouldn't visit alone because it's being repaired.

He stands up and walks to my chair in the centre of the room, taking a paper from the pocket at his chest. I don't need him to say what it is, but I wasn't aware he had more copies with him.

"To resolve this now," he says briefly and out loud but without clarification for the present ones.

I look at him directly in the eyes for a couple of seconds, my finger barely touches the white paper of good quality, his sign is already there. I wonder if he changed it every a couple of months, it looks pretty new.

"Hey... don't you prefer something different? I don't know, like a party, or something more traditional?"

The nobles love the idea of throwing the house by the window.

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Technically, that day, one week ago while we were at the meeting, I married.

We signed a paper in front everyone and it's more than valid, we had the ten noble houses as witnesses so the veracity of the document is completely unquestionable. It seems the last time a sign had so many people there was three hundred years ago, so there was a pretty good first page in the newspaper.

To be honest, I didn't feel the difference, it's like a birthday where you think something will magically change but in fact it's just one day more in your life. But you receive a lot of congratulations. In my case, I received them until it wasn't even a little uncomfortable, but I repeated the same lines to thank them on automatic pilot.

I had time to think about it, and I'll have at least one or two months until the day of the party, and I decided it was the correct decision.

It was an impulse to agree to something we didn't plan correctly, and that Wolfram and I never discussed for years. Neither him nor I were worried about the topic.

"Which color do you prefer for this?" he asks me while he extends something like a catalogue towards me. All I see are flowers and I don't understand.

"Oh, the ivory one is really pretty," comments Greta, taking the magazine and starting to look through the pages, she has a little pile of papers at her side as markers.

There's also a pile of these catalogues over the table where we're having tea at my office. I've managed to remain as an outsider until now, working with the official documents, but I would prefer to take some fresh air.

"The red one is bright, but it's very popular this season. There's no harm in a touch of passion~ " says Josak.

"Cherie would agree with that," laughs Murata.

Green lawn undulating with the wind, blue and white uniforms... my fantasies are far from being what they might think.

Conrart, standing at the wall with his arm crossed over his chest, looks at me in the eye when I turn and I'm back to the reality. He understands. I slide my chair softly to make my escape...

"Which color do you like?" Wolf insists.

"Blue. My favorite color is blue."

He frowns and takes several magazines, passing the pages one after the other and raises his voice about some tea cup set when I'm almost crossing the door.

"What about this...? AH, Yuuri! Where are you going?"

"I love it! You have really good taste, I'll leave it to you. I'll be at the field, see you later!"

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That night, and every other one, the desk in our room is filled with magazines and books about decoration, food and who knows what other things I don't really get. My sense of aesthetics is really poor.

When I enter the bed today, the papers over the mattress crunch and I fear crushing what I shouldn't. Wolfram is concentrated on taking notes while he passes from one guide to the other. I observe him silently like always, I don't try to do the typical question about if I can help him, because I've failed miserably at other times already.

But I have a question. I lay on my side putting my face in my hand and I look at him. He's immersed in his work.

"Hey, Wolf."

"Mm?"

His clear green eyes don't move from the sheets of paper.

"You've been crazy about the details for weeks." He doesn't look at me and I start feeling restless so I switch positions and move around, the papers crunch again, ah. "Do you really like event decoration that much?"

I mean, he has what it takes to be an artist... or I think so. Anyway, he has that type of sensibilities I don't have at all. Even his bond with Greta has a strong stem in that sense, of course she would confide more in him than me for a recommendation about clothes... or jewels for the new season, or whatever.

"I don't like it in particular."

"Eh...?" I take time processing that and thinking all over again about the things he likes. "But, you even drew the design on the invitation, so I thought all this was of your liking. But probably from that to selecting the colour of the chair covers... I don't know if I can say it's all the same, you'll get offended again."

He glances at me with that face that warns me I should not say anything about what I don't understand. It's delicate to discuss about at without him pointing out my lack of culture. He closes the book he was looking at and puts the pencil aside with the notebook, it seems he's done for today. While he settles the rest of the mess he made we keep talking.

I'm a little anxious for this barrier over the bed between us to disappear.

"The cards are something I always wanted to do, the rest doesn't really excite me."

He looks at me and my silence invites him to continue. It's easy to notice the change in his expression, he's unexpectedly shy now. The next thing he's going to say it's something probably hard to say out loud.

"...but since you asked for it, I wanted to do it myself."

Damn, now I don't know who should feel embarrassed. It's been a while since the last time I saw him so vulnerable, it's not like I never saw this side of him, but Wolf usually acts appropriate and it's hard for him to be honest with his feelings.

"You don't have to..."

"But I want to do it." His green eyes full of confidence don't intimidate me, but leave me without words anyway.

My fingers tap softly over my mouth as I look at the sheets. His hands takes the last scraps of paper in silence and everything piles up at the night stand or even at the floor at his side.

Finally I'm able to cross the border with my foot and touch his body. I thought that connection would be enough to sleep, since there were other nights he doesn't finish this early, but the absence of things between us is tempting. The dry sound of bed sheets caress me when I move closer pressing my body to his, trying to get shelter under his arm.

I'll let him keep petting my hair in silence and we can forget about that sentimental topic to avoid feeling uncomfortable. It was enough effort to put in words our doubts about the marriage in private after that public announcement we made in a rush.

It's easy to wave and smile for the newspaper and give explanations about that's already time, but that's our façade. When it's about discussing these sort of things with him, I can't help but feel a little nervous, even if everything Wolf says always makes my chest feel warm.

When I think I'm blushing thinking about these things, Wolfram gives me a much more vulgar reason to feel embarrassed.

"Hey, where are you putting your hand?"

"Ah, you were asleep."

"No, I'm not. And this is not the time to get touchy, you know?"

We were having one of those moments, but it seems he doesn't care. This is typical, he's always been like this, and I've always been the one who complains. Even if I don't dislike the idea.

I change the topic suddenly.

"For some time I've been asking myself, how's the culture here about marriages? Every time i try to imagine a festival or something like that, it ends up being the opposite. I would really want to be prepared to avoid messing up in my own wedding."

Wolfram responds by looking at the ceiling with one hand at his chin and without moving the other one from my bottom.

"Mm, well, for divorces..."

"Wait, wait, I'm barely getting married!"

"Well, that was the only thing that comes to my mind. You know, about that tradition below the window after tapping the glass with a peddle, that was adapted from an old tradition of throwing a biggest stone and breaking it. WE don't do that any more for propositions, but it seems common for breakup."

"Eh, isn't that a little extreme? Or it's like they had a very bad breakup... But now you said it, I was wondering if there was an specific way to ask for a divorce, you know, that what happened at Seisa left me thinking..."

"A stone... Or horse dung."

There's a long silence. Wolf... just... mm, I can't believe sometimes he says so naturally these kind of things or words you're not expecting from his mouth.

"...I don't have words to describe what I'm thinking. But I would like to clarify now between us, and make it part of the contract, that you're not allowed to do that, specially the second option."

He has the serious expression of someone contemplating the option if we fail, but the acting to worry me collapses very quickly and he starts to laugh. It's so bad doing jokes that I also feel like laughing.

It's time to put off the candles but we're not going to shut up in a while.

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After going around the castle, I finally find Wolfram sitting at one of the tables in the outside. I was lucky, I saw him by chance when I walked back to the office. I take a shortcut by the garden and climb the stairs two steps at a time until I reach the landing.

"Ah, Wolf, here you are. I've been searching for you, but you weren't at the bedroom or the studio.

He raises his eyes from the scattered documents and places the feather in the inker, he was filling some kind of inventory. "I preferred to take some fresh air, just to change the scenery."

"There's good light at the office, or you can use the table at the balcony if you want."

"I think it's enough that I take over the room and the bed every night." he says smiling, it's noticeable he's a little bit sleepy.

I take my seat on the empty chair and I take a close look reclining near him, it's a list about chairs, tables and other similar stuff. Turning the pages there's more about cutlery, ornaments... the amount of stuff listed here is impressive, do we really need all this? The numbers scare me a little. I'm starting to get worried about how much are we going to spend on this.

I can't say that. If it were my decision, I think only around fifty people would attend my wedding, and I would have to be creative with the invitations. The most expensive thing would be a huge amount of meat for the main course, and a beer shower to fulfil one of my fantasies.

But thinking about it, maybe we'll have more guests, but ninety percent of them would be from Wolfram's family side. But since this is a Royal Wedding, basically the entire kingdom is invited.

This is only about the private reception, but there's a thousand things to do that I don't understand and Günter is taking care of. There's going to be a fair in town, at some point it's expected we do a parade through the main streets. There was a war with cape and spade to decide who'll take care of what, but Wolfram can't do everything.

"It doesn't bother me if you continue in the office."

"I don't want to interrupt the few moments you're diligent with your work like a dignified king.

"What are you talking about? If you're barely noticeable when you're submerged in this, I don't know if you notice it, but I've seen you in silence in the same position for hours. I would be worried if you wouldn't do the same when you draw or paint."

There's a food list, this one's way more interesting. I can get some spoilers about the things I'll enjoy in the future. Oh, here it is, main courses and meat. There's a lot of my favourite plates, lucky!

"Besides, I've been thinking again about this and I don't like you having to do all the work by yourself. There must be something I can help with, transcribing the lists, or any other task similar to office work. I can't choice the colour of the flowerpots but I think I should be more involved. I had an idea."

"What were you thinking now?"

"I want to find something only Greta can do. Do you remember I told you about some Earth customs? It's not strictly a Japanese thing, but at occidental weddings the kids hold the rings, it's an special job."

"Mazoku don't wear that," says Wolf and he fixes it right away, "but we can have rings if you want."

"I don't care about the rings, but well, it would make sense... Anyway, we can discuss that later. Isn't there any custom like that Greta can take part in?"

"Well, there are a lot of activities, I think she already organized with Anissina the race."

"...Race?"

"Mm, yes, the family blood red war."

"Blood red... Ah...? ¡Greta it's too young for that! It's a wedding, why are we talking about war, ugh, I have a bad feeling about it."

"Calm down Yuuri, it's just an event, the confrontation is not real. Didn't you say in that place where you came from they do that too? The eschoo-fees-tivaa."

"You're pronouncing all wrong again, ah, no, sorry, do pretend as though I didn't point that out, it was rude. But I'm relieved! So it's just like the school festival games, like the horse war or something like that."

Wolfram nods and I, who kept eyeing the food list, change the subject radically again. Hunger is making a mess in my brain.

"And I know we already decided the itinerary of the party and all, but I never asked you if you wanted to do it here. I mean, maybe you always dreamed about having your wedding at your base, sorry, your house."

"But we're at home."

He says it so casually it makes me stutter the words for a moment. I feel a little happy.

"Ah, yeah, right, we're at home. But I was talking about your other home."

"Oh, you're talking about Bielefeld."

"You're still not the Lord of your territory, but it's been years since you represent if officially and sooner or later you'll end up being it. You travel sometimes, but... I don't know if saying it has been left aside. Taking care of the family is important."

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I got vacations, hooray!

Oh, no, of course that wasn't my plan from the beginning. This is more like an official visit... no, it's a family visit. Being at Bielefeld has its benefits but at the same time responsibilities.

"Father..."

"He's my uncle," says Wolfram after a silence.

Damn, I just arrived and I already messed up. So embarrassing.

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The day of my wedding comes so fast that finding myself standing in the middle of the party takes me by surprise.

I've spent almost two months trying to help Wolfram to organize this, but now that I see the decorated place I feel like an outsider, there are so many strange things I didn't know about.

But my gluttony wins over my nervousness and I'm standing at the side of the food glancing at it. There's a lot of tasty stuff, but I feel dragged towards the big cake in the centre of all the sweets. It being my wedding, I should try my wedding cake, right? Even if I'm not a big fan of sweets, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"Yuuri, ...what are you...?"

"Mmm... Hey Wolf, this is really good, since you're crazy about sweets you have to try it."

"I can't believe it."

"Whad gappen?"

"How long it's been since the party started, thirty seconds?" Wolf face palms, "it looks like it's impossible for you not to mess up."

"What did I do now!?" I ask afraid of the response, stopping every move.

"That's the 'soul cake of abundance', it's supposed nobody touches it. If you do it's seventy years of bad luck and disgrace on your marriage."

"..."

Why did you leave me alone, Conrart? Why?

Before Wolf is able to depress I'm serving a triple portion in a different plate and I give it to him.

"What are you doing?"

"Come on, eat, don't think about it," I indicate him while I finish mine. "If we already started let's continue. Hey you! Yes, you there, do you want cake? Here. And you too, who else wants some?"

"...What are you doing? Yuuri?"

"We already messed up," I say to him in a low voice, "so it's better to disappear the evidence. I need help here! This has to be gone in like... mm, twenty minutes."

Murata is quickly here and he doesn't ask unnecessary questions but follows my lead. Murakenzu time. Josak doesn't waste time joining us.

Besides all customs, if the Maou and Daikenja asks for it, people will do anything, it's not a big issue to get rid of a cake in matter of minutes. I don't know if this'll fix what we done, but at least Wolf is laughing and that's enough to make me feel happy.

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The said race counts with two sides, mine and his side, everyone piles up in the middle. The rules are simple, both of us have to manage sorting out all the obstacles and meet at the centre, if he and I took hands it's game over. Wolf told me that if we're too bad at this they'll let us win for the appearances to make it look cute, but my sportsman side makes me take this seriously.

All the people I barely know are my enemies. Ah, that's his art teacher, and I think that's a midwife he told me about once. The amount of adults is big, but there's a lot of young people and I feel a little bad I don't know who are most of them. I've been always happy Wolf has friends, but maybe I should've put more effort in socializing with them all these past years.

Whatever, the strange sound of a cornet gives the start signal, to my surprise the confrontation is like trying to buy something during a sales day at the supermarket. Everyone screams something at me and tries to convince me to stop, pulling at my clothes or taking my arms, even the children climb up my legs. What? They're asking me to leave money or stuff I carry with me? Should I leave them something...? there's no time, I give away the little things I have with me while I keep advancing people by people, dodging or pushing without hesitation, you can't doubt.

I can't keep carrying the kids but they're not going to set me free. Half way, I lost my energies laughing, thank god my opponents feel the same.

Wolfram's a couple of meters away and it's me who manages to leave the extra weight to reach him. It seems it was difficult for him because Anissina was on my side and she had some weird device. Günter... Lord von Christ's diligently stuck at his feet without intentions of letting go, it seems it's his last attempt to stop this wedding. Wolf doesn't count with the patience not to step on his head at the last moment, I feel sorry for him but we made it and we engage in a friendly congratulations hug.

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Since we surpassed the funny test and we had a touchy moment in front of a multitude of people, now we can continue with the ceremony.

This is what really makes me feel nervous, I'm not good at this kind of stuff. My stomach feels like a mess and I'm not able to look at Wolf in the eye without feeling uncomfortable. It's not him, it's the situation that makes me really anxious. All the eyes are focused at the back of my head and I feel tense.

When Wolf takes my hand, my fingers still shake like a leaf. "Relax, Yuuri."

"Look who's talking..."

Although he tries to remain composed, I know he's as nervous as me or worse.

The ceremony doesn't count with too many steps, but everything takes time and that makes this longer than I would like. Though, these dead times help me to calm down. Breath, in and out. Let's not faint on my wedding day in front of five hundred persons I barely know and a couple of paparazzi.

As the day I was crowned and I had to put my hand in the mausoleum of Shinou behind the waterfall, we have to do something similar, but we first extend our palms in front of the other, interlace our fingers and then we get them behind the water together.

I relax at first, thinking nothing bad might happen, but the strange feeling of ghost fingers over our fists makes me cringe. Wolf and I look at each other and press our lips closed without a word. He's there after all. Auch, the pinch over the sensitive part of my hand hurts like hell.

After ignoring the incident and bringing back our hands, we raise them in the air in the typical victorious pose after Shinou's approval. We can't say it really happened something.

Ulrike makes us stand in front of each other again and I start doubting, what was next? She talks but I'm not really listening, even if she sounds kind her tone is rather monotone. This part is too formal.

One stupid doubt attacks me. If this is comparable to a foreign wedding, is this the moment for the kiss, right? Um... a... kiss. In front of all this people... I never thought about it.

Oh no, if I start feeling dizzy I'll end up on the floor. But what should I do?! If this has to end with a kiss... what should I do?! It's not like it's my first kiss, but...!

I don't think abut it, when she ends the talking and we turn towards the public in silence I incline towards him after a couple of tense seconds. My lips barely touches his cheek by a fraction of second, that's all that I found in my way, and I'm back to my position looking at the guests with my lips sealed and probably as red as a tomato.

This is too much for a young Japanese guy.

The first thing I hear are the complaints from the paparazzi from the first row, it was too fast for them. The cheers from the public are next, starting at the front and extending to the back of the stone room. Murata looks at me amused and Conrart's clapping too excited while Josak shows his perfect Roger Rabbit smile. I ignore them, as I ignore Günter who's crying inside my head because the sound of the crowd makes me unable to hear anything, and the half smile of Gwendal. Not to mention the over-excited mother and our daughter.

Maybe this wasn't that bad? I hope I didn't mess up again with culture...

Sudenly, Wolfram pulls my arm and hugs me by my shoulders. I can't do anything but respond by wrapping my arms around his waist. I don't know what's the etiquette for this moment, but I'll follow his lead. When he push away he smiles, his blond hair as the color of honey undulate and his white teeth shine taking my breath away.

Ah, you really are beautiful.

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If I was feeling afraid of the public displays of affection, well... This is unexpected.

Facing towards the exit, I'm hugged and greeted energetically by everyone, even people I don't really know. Wolfram is separated from me quickly, it seems this is another custom because people have divided again into two teams to capture us. Maybe they just choose their favorite? I don't know.

The next strange thing is being offered cutlery. I'm afraid of touching them because my last memory is about picking up a knife and agreeing to a duel. But after the spoon, the fork and the rest of the cutlery there comes a tea cup, a jar and even a tea pot. I don't know what's happening but suddenly I'm carrying a whole set in my arms that's in danger of ending up in the floor at any time. Could somebody pass the tray? I'm wearing a black tailcoat, so changing roles to fit a waiter is not an issue.

After a moment, the crowd of people guides me towards a unique path, to find Wolfram carrying the same amount of similar stuff in his hands. I still don't know what's happening until he murmurs quickly.

"It's for good luck, yours is mine and mine is yours, there's never going to be missing food at the table."

Ah, right. Although it's questionable because his family has literally a toilette made of gold and that... well, I'm the king of this country. But who I am to question all these customs...

"Ah-auch, HEY... AGH. Stop! What's your problem...? Wolf...! What's happening!?"

"I don't know!" he responds, covering his face from the projectiles, and automatically I stand in front of him.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, Your Excellency!"

"Long live the grooms! Your Majesty, Excellency Wolfram, congratulations!"

"Sizemore, Dacascos, what the hell... You too, Chevalier? What the hell are you all doing, dumbass!?" Something like a cucumber smashes in the middle of my face.

"But we're greeting you, Your Majesty."

"There's still an entire basket."

"What's supposed to be this? What kind of strange vegetable... no, what kind of misunderstanding is it?"

Knowing the mazokus... No, ok, I don't know what to expect. Are they trying to hint something with the cucumbers?

"Lady Anissina said it so, that in the home country of His Majesty there's a certain custom, and we wanted to do something special including your traditions."

"I'm not aware of any custom about throwing cucumber at people's faces! Is this some kind of indirect joke? Because if it is, I'm going to take it personally..."

"Calm down, Shibuya," says Murata, making me step aside. The hit to my face really hurt, I'm glad I was standing at the front and not Wolfram.

"It's a brice, Your Majesty."

What the hell is a brice?

"Oh..." interrupts Conrart who just arrived, it seems he was chasing us closely after the ceremony. "Maybe instead of brice... you meant rice?"

"Oh..." I make a pause, surprised. "OH... Don't tell me that... Rice, it's rice that's thrown at foreign weddings for goodness sake! Who would have thought of anything else? Besides, I'm Japanese, do you understand? Japanese!"

"Woa, rice? Would you've thought about that?"asks Dacascos to Sizemore and Chevalier.

"Well... I don't know what to say..."

"I never questioned it because it's another world and all."

"Dacky, what are you doing? Don't tell me... Oh, no. Are you causing troubles to Your Majesty and Your Excellency again!? I beg you pardon us."

The way Amblin looks at him gives me an idea about how difficult the married life can get. I don't want to even comment to avoid making it worst.

"Mmm, n-no, it's ok."

"These things happen," says Wolfram quickly.

"Right Wolf? Ah, hey, don't we have to go there?"

"Right! What were you looking at Yuuri, hurry up, it's time to getting back to the castle, they're waiting for us to have the first dance."

"Yeah, ok, see you!"

The strategical withdraw is a success. I push out of my mind these thoughts about being in Dacascos's boots in a couple of years.

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.

Wolfram is moody and he accompanies me only because I made him to, I was going to come alone but this being about both of us, I decided it was better if he was present. The room where we celebrated the ceremony is almost empty, everyone headed towards the castle and we should do that soon too.

Only a few guards remain inside, Murata took care about that, but he disappeared as soon as he could without giving me room to ask if he was coming with us. It's clear that he's still on bad terms with him, and it's not like I adore the idea of seeing him, but I didn't want to be rude.

This is his temple after all.

Standing in front of the waterfall where we placed our hands a couple of hours ago, I don't really know what to do. I clear my throat before speaking. "Hey, are you there or...?"

Wolfram pushes me aside exasperatedly and he looks at me with reproach, I feel it's because I didn't follow any protocol or something. He continues. "Your Majesty Shinou, we came for an audience, if you're there please come out."

"Oh, an audience? Interesting choice of words, being that you throw an entire party at my home, just saying."

I knew it, he's mad. It's a little detail that we never asked officially for permission to do here something else besides the ceremony.

"If it counts for the record, Ulrike was happy."

"She's always happy about whatever, a wedding, pff, she would throw the house by the window only hearing about something so similar to these novels she reads. Of course she would allow half the capital to run around the place if it's about that."

"Are you going to show up or not?"

"What a temper, what happened with the modesty just now?" he comments when Wolf said that without filters, and the ethereal figure materializes coming from the water.

He doesn't look solid like the last time we met, it's not a physical body.

"Which maryoku are you using?"

"Yours." He responds and I nod. I'm glad he's not using Wolfram's. "So, what do you want now?"

Neither him nor I stand out with our manners, like always. He looks like he wants to eat the world, and I... I simply don't care. Even if I might have one hundred reasons, in fact, I don't hate him... no so much. I have conflicted feelings.

Whatever, I'm not here to discuss our relationship.

"Thanks."

My sudden gratitude leaves him without words, same with Wolfram. I thought maybe he'll rush me to raise my head, but he doesn't. Is a reverence acceptable because this man is practically the God of this kingdom?

After the silence and the dead time, I consider it's enough and I don't add anything else. Shinou sighs arrogantly like always, but I'm able to notice he's not good with this kind of situations. He resembles Wolf a little in that aspect.

"Welcome," he mutters and tries to make his doubt look like he was planning to scratch his chin with his hand all along. "If that's all, then I would like you to finish and leave my temple."

"There's no one left, only us and a couple of soldiers."

"Good. Ah, and tell him to come see me, I'll be waiting with tea."

"I will, but I can't promise he'll come."

"Hmp."

There's not much else to say, so I turn around and Wolf follows me.

"Sorry for dragging you into this," I apology in a low voice, now I see it wasn't really necessary for him to be present.

"As long as it makes you happy" is the only thing he says. I can't help but smile a little.

"Ah," interrupts the voice at our backs, "and congratulations on getting married."

I turn to comment something, but there's no one there.

I suppose there's no need to clarify I'll take care of his descendant or anything on these lines. Neither I think he cares about that after all what happened.

.

.

.

"Tsk, that guy. I tell you Shibuya, he's just whining because he's sulking about not getting an official invitation to the wedding."

"Eeeeh," I'm surprised, "so, it's not the tsundere attitude Wolf inherited, but something similar to fairy tales where you don't invite the undesirable people? Oh, no, wasn't the ending of these stories bad? Something about cursing the first born child... Greta!"

"Don't say nonsense Yuuri, we're not able to have any first born child, we're both men."

"But Greta is officially our daughter, doesn't that makes her the first born child in some way?

"I don't think that works that way in this case. And if it does, there's no way I'll let that guy do anything to her."

Before I can speak again, Murata interrupts. "Probably what attracted him was the word war. It doesn't matter what kind of war, he loves these things."

"Ah... that fake confrontation? But being like that he would have to choose a team... do you imagine Wolf, with your ancestor participating, I don't know what to think... probably it would ensure chaos. And having the original Maou in your side, there's no chance, I would've even lost merit comparing us as kings..."

"That's impossible."

I'm not sure if he's talking about Shinou's appearance or the other thing, but his resolute attitude and his fiery eyes make me get excited to think he's talking about me.

"Well, well, this is getting wild. If he can't even materialize in front of people, then it's obvious he wasn't going to be invited. Leave him crying closed up like the hikkikomori he is."

"So mean, Muramura. By the way, he invited you to drink tea."

"Then he can sit down and wait!"

.

.

.

Thanks Günter, from the bottom of my heart. These horrific dance classes that I suffered bears fruit now... or I think so.

This is that important moment in front of a multitude of people that makes me a little embarrassed, but that's really necessary. The first dance of the just married couple. You can't deny Wolf is amazing at this, he doesn't only dance well, something I already knew, but he doesn't suffer stage panic like me.

The worst part was after the beginning, my hands were sweaty and I was dead nervous, I think I wasn't able to fool anyone. Seeing Conrart smiling at me in the distance and doing a thumbs up made it worse, that didn't help at all!

With the passing of time I started to feel calmer. Avoiding mistakes, like stumbling as soon as we start like I was afraid it would happen, and having already finished half the piece correctly, I'm glad. I think part of that happiness is reflecting in my body, it's easy to lose myself in my thoughts and Wolf's smile for the rest of the song.

We reach the final part, those complicated steps are done correctly, swirl and pose.

Then, they're booing. I already knew about that, but my heart still breaks a little. I have to remember this is the way they say "I'm so moved I have to share my feelings with His Majesty Shinou". But it's a little bit... weird.

Wolfram enjoys it because he understands the custom as something positive, but I glance searching for Greta's eyes. We share the same feelings about it, just like years ago during that school musical we played as a family.

It's something like one of the little secrets Wolf doesn't understand. I wonder what kind of thing like that they share that I don't know.

.

.

.

The night is incredibly nice, standing on the balcony of my room I enjoy the breeze after this long and agitated day full of emotions. I feel tired, but my mind is excited and full of memories that I'll recall forever.

Although I'm not a big drinker, I bring with me a last glass of one of the wines I got a taste for at the party.

When Wolfram enters it's like our roles have been exchanged. It's usually him who reclines over the guardrail to enjoy the view of the gardens while he drinks.

This makes me feel things have actually changed. Slowly, but it changed.

Wolf's damp hair looks heavier, but it still shines beautifully under the moonlight. I gaze at the sky again. "The moon is beautiful tonight."

There's no better response than his special smile, the fresh white shirt he's loosely wearing gives him a somewhat ethereal appearance. He gets closer and stands behind me, placing his arms around my neck and laying his chin over my shoulder. He looks at the sky with me.

The silence isn't heavy. Being a person who comes from a warm and loud family, sometimes it was strange for me that we weren't talking, but I learned to appreciate this moments. The cold breeze feels good over my skin in contrast with the warmness of his body.

"You know Wolf," I can't help but interrupt the moment, "I've never thanked you for everything you've done for me. You didn't even like me at first, and even so, you always were there to guide me as a king, travelling from one side to the other of the map to find me every time I got in trouble... You even saved my life, two, no, three times! I don't even know how you made it to appear every time I needed you. Things have changed a lot and it doesn't feel like so much time has passed."

His laugh muffles against my body and his hands press with a little more force. "How long have I waited to hear that?" he says amused, "and all the things I had to face," he sighs, "do you know how much you make me worry sometimes?"

"I know." I feel a little embarrassed to think I was never able to respond properly to this typical retort he always says. "Ah, sorry about all that. About everything, I suppose."

"It's ok, as long as you're happy."

"You say that pretty often now."

I don't really know what to say in response. Some times the communication is complicated and the cultural differences too, but I've advanced a lot with that.

Wolf gives me space to turn around and I leave the glass over the guardrail, I place a hand over his chest and we end up in a perfect position for a dance. Our noses touches when my forehead rely on his one.

There's another enjoyable silence. It feels warm but agitated. Like our hearts beating together.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," says Wolf very softly.

I would like to turn to the sky once more, but I end up making the image in my mind with my eyes closed, I prefer to enjoy this kiss.

Certainly, the moon is beautiful tonight.

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 **Fin.**

* * *

A probably unnecessary note, but it's better to clarify. That last part where Yuuri talks about the beautiful moon is a reference to the poetic Japanese comparison of "the moon is beautiful tonight = I love you". Lately I've been abusing the reference, but it's just that I love it haha.


End file.
